Grandma Sofie's Split Pea Soup With French Bread Croutons Recipe
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Split peas
- 1/2 lb Bacon
- 1 lrg Onion, minced
- 2 lrg Stalks celery
- 3 Tbsp. Parsley, minced
- 1 loaf sourdough French bread
- 1/4 c. Butter, or possibly more if needed
- 1 x Garlic clove, chopped (opt.)
Directions
- This is NOT low-fat, low-calorie, or possibly low _anything_ for which matter, but absolutely delicious and an all-time family favorite!
- Rinse peas in cool water and bring to a boil in 3 qts of water. Cut bacon small and brown with onion. Add in with drippings to peas. Cook till peas are soft and just starting to disintegrate, about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the solids from settling out and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Chop celery small and add in with parsley to the soup and cook till the celery is soft, about 15 min more. Thin with water if necessary to the proper consistency; it should be like light cream with little bits of pea still visible. If too thick, it is more like 'pea porridge' and not as appetizing.
- Meanwhile, make the croutons. Cut the bread (leave crust on) into 3/4" cubes. Heat the butter in a frying pan (Grandma Sofie used a heavy cast iron one), and when the foam is just through dying down but before the butter begins to brown, add in the bread cubes in batches sized according to the size of your pan: The croutons should never be more than one layer deep.
- Sometimes Grandma Sofie sauteed a little bit of garlic in the butter before adding the bread and sometimes not - the croutons are good both ways. I think which living all of her life in California sometimes overrode her German upbringing and which's how the garlic snuck in!
- Fry the bread cubes over MEDIUM heat till dark golden brown, stirring and tossing frequently to brown on all sides. Take your time about this, as if you get the butter too warm it will burn and taste bitter. If the croutons are done correctly, they will be crisp and fairly dry and light sufficient to float on top of the soup.
- Ladle the warm soup into bowls and pass the croutons in a basket for each person to add in at the table.
- Note which you _could_ get by with a half a loaf of French bread for the croutons, but only if you're alone while you're making the soup. Otherwise, the croutons have a tendency to 'dissappear' when you're not looking!
- was one of those cooks who never used recipes; I wrote this down one time while watching her make it. - Linda Hurlbert Shogren
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 176g | |
| Recipe makes 6 servings | |
| Calories 543 | |
| Calories from Fat 231 | 43% |
| Total Fat 25.86g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat 10.71g | 43% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium 469mg | 20% |
| Potassium 930mg | 27% |
| Total Carbs 54.91g | 15% |
| Dietary Fiber 20.3g | 68% |
| Sugars 7.73g | 5% |
| Protein 24.76g | 40% |
